The Egyptian government unexpectedly released Ayman Nour, one of the thousands of political opponents, who are rotting in Egyptian jails. The official information indicated that the decision to release him was taken on medical grounds.
However, the outspoken Ayman Nour, said immediately upon his release that it was a political decision, and assured that he would go back to practicing his "role as a politician through the Ghad party".
The charismatic secular politician Nour ran for President in 2005 and dared to challenge President Mubarak. He was convicted in 2005 of forging signatures on petitions he had filed to create his party, for 5 years imprisonment with hard labor. His supporters claim the charges were trumped-up.
The deteriorating health condition of Mr. Nour was known for a couple years, and he and his wife Gamila, made several appeals but no one in the government listened, so why this sudden change of heart, and why just now?
Nour himself has declared more the once in the past, that the Egyptian government wanted him to die in jail????
Presently, President Mubarak is feeling he lost his Arab friends, heavily criticized by many for his handling of the Gaza affair, and is surrounded with internal and external problems. He can no longer go and stay in his refuge in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheikh, away from all problems, as most Egyptians tend to believe.
The timing of Nour’s release at this point in time is very interesting, and much to do with it, is the future relationship between the United States’ new administration and the Egyptian government of the 81-year-old dictator Mubarak, who ruled over Egypt since 1981.
The United States now have a new President who is different from all his predecessors. A President who was grew up in the black minority and son of a Kenyan. With less than a month in office, Mr. Obama has shown his sensitivity towards discrimination and human rights.
In fact, as per Washington post (article published at ww.voiceofthecopts.org) a clear message was sent from the new administration to Mubarak concerning his political opponents and the right of Egyptians to democracy and freedom.
The release of the most serious political opponent, although he might be a lame duck politically as his original five-year sentence bars him from politics for years after his prison release, was made just to appease the United States government.
This move is a clear indication of how anxious the Mubarak regime is, now more than ever, about its relationship with the United States, not to mention the 2 billion dollars, in aid and handouts received annually from Uncle Sam in the States.
Furthermore it shows a desperate and humbling gesture on the part of Mubarak to receive an invitation to the White House.
The feeling now is that the western leaders, but overall President Obama understands Mubarak’s game well, and would like to see certain moves from him, as a sign of good will for permanent change.
When the Washington Post sent its message, it arrived clearly to the Cairene palaces, and Ayman Nour was immediately freed.
Now, that the first signs of relent are coming from Mubarak, the United States new administration needs to press ahead with its plans for demanding more freedom in that part of the world, and respect for human rights.
Mr. Obama, who had a Kenyan father, became the President of the most powerful country of the world; in Egypt, in the third millennium, a Copt still lives in his own homeland, persecuted and discriminated against, just because of his faith.
As a human right organization, we are looking for a permanent change in laws to guarantee personal freedom. We demand full rights for the Copts in their own homeland, and not even a life of a Dhimmi!
We do not want a flowery speech from a Mr. Mubarak standing next to President Obama, promising things that would never materialize, or worst still, denying facts of human rights abuses that are documented by numerous human rights organizations and activists. We do not want to hear that he is President of all Egyptians, much repeated words, with nothing to show for it.
We also hope that Secretary Of State Clinton, who is quite aware of the Coptic Issue, will not be intimidated like her predecessor, who was rebuffed by the Egyptian regime for interfering in domestic matters, when requesting human rights reforms.
More Copts are killed, without any Muslim ever brought to task; more girls are kidnapped and forced into Islam, more escalation in the attacks against their Churches. It has now reached the stage, even when the Copts get the odd permission through a Presidential decree for a new church; the mobs surround it with the terrified Copts inside, chanting Jihadi songs, demanding its closure, which the State Security is only too happy to oblige. As a matter of fact, the era of President Mubarak has been a disaster for the Copts.
If only Egypt would go back in time 1400 years, back to its old civilization. We want westerners to visit our country without fear, we need western investors to have trust in an Egyptian economical stability, which is presently non-existent, and would never happen until Egypt reaches a certain level of democracy and freedom.
As for the Copts they want recognition of their full rights and are no longer willing to accept from President Mubarak, the all stick and no carrot strategy!!!